US-CHIMP · Novel User-friendly Ultrasound Methods for Monitoring and Prevention of Cerebral Hypoxia

Novel User-friendly Ultrasound Methods for Monitoring and Prevention of Cerebral Hypoxia

The US-CHIMP (Ultrasound Cerebral Hypoxia Imaging for Monitoring and Prevention) project addresses a critical healthcare challenge: the timely and accurate detection of cerebral hypoxia low oxygen levels in the brain, which can lead to permanent neurological damage. Cerebral hypoxia affects approximately half of critically ill patients but studying these conditions directly in intensive care settings is complicated due to patients' unstable health. Instead, US-CHIMP utilizes the unique environment of high-altitude exposure, where reduced oxygen levels naturally simulate conditions similar to clinical hypoxia, enabling safe investigation in healthy volunteers. Currently, the non-invasive techniques available to detect cerebral hypoxia either demand highly skilled personnel, involve significant observer variability, or lack clearly established diagnostic thresholds. There is an urgent need for accessible, user-friendly, and reliable tools to monitor and diagnose cerebral hypoxia effectively, particularly in challenging environments such as mountain rescue operations and remote healthcare settings. Ultrasound is portable and can be used in the field and at the bedside. The main goal of US-CHIMP is to develop a proof-of-concept ultrasound-based diagnostic method. This involves two primary innovative approaches: 1. Using 3D ultrasound imaging to measure the volume of the optic nerve sheath as an indirect marker of intracranial pressure, a critical indicator often linked to cerebral hypoxia. 2. Applying Wave Intensity Analysis (WIA) to the internal carotid and vertebral arteries to detect changes in cerebral blood flow dynamics as an indirect measure of brain oxygenation. The project comprises three core objectives: • Developing a reliable, semi-automated method for volumetric ultrasound assessment of the optic nerve sheath. • Establishing Wave Intensity Analysis techniques to characterize cerebral vascular changes due to hypoxia. • Validating these methods through controlled studies involving human volunteers exposed to simulated high-altitude conditions in the state-of-the-art environmental chamber.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union